t-ball

Last week the kids had Opening Ceremonies for their t-ball league.  The night before (at 5pm) I got the email saying, "Opening Ceremonies is tomorrow.  Don't forget the grey pants."  Huh???  What grey pants?  And where is that park?  A quick email to the coach and I learned I needed to buy them grey baseball pants.  (They are the only kids on the team in sneakers, I think.  All the other kids are wearing cleats.  T-ball is serious in the fashion department, I guess. I am not buying cleats for something that ends in early June.  I spent $140 just signing them up for this.  Everyday sneakers will be fine.)

So, we ran out that night and found 2 pairs of grey baseball pants at Play It Again Sports.  $3 a pair.  No biggie.  The brand new ones were $10 so I was happy the used ones fit.   I was even more happy about that when they handed me 2 pairs of grey baseball pants the next night at the opening ceremonies when they gave us jerseys, socks, hats and batting gloves.  I was really glad I didn't spend $20 on pants less than 24 hours earlier.

The ceremonies were cute.  All the teams (t-ball, baseball and softball) came out, one coach sang the national anthem - and did a beautiful job - he actually sang the song as it was written unlike celebrities who like to show off how they can make their voices go up and down like idiots.  Sing the anthem as intended.  I think there should be a fine for embellishing the national anthem, but tonight's coach would have escaped that.  Then, he threw out the first pitch and the evening was over.

This is not my kid.

 I took the logos off all the shirts for photos for privacy.

Then we had our first official game on Monday evening.   We now have games 2 nights per week, practice one evening during the week and on Saturday afternoons.  This coming Sunday, we have a team photo.

For a game, each child bats twice.  They do Home Team full roster, Away Team full roster.  Then Home Team 1st 1/2 roster, Away Team 1st 1/2 roster, Home team 2nd 1/2 roster, Away Team 2nd 1/2 roster.  But, we ran out of time and the Away Team did not get their last-ups the other night.  I felt bad for the kids who didn't get to bat twice.  They were trying to get kids out, but even if you did get tagged out - you did not leave the base.  Every child ran all the bases.  Some one at a time, others managed to get doubles.  The last batter of each "inning" got to run a home run!

Since they went alphabetically, Carl was first.  Gretchen was second.  Before the game, Carl went to the coach and politely asked, "Can I bat first?'  so he probably thinks he went first because he asked.  Both times that Carl got to home plate, he stood there and waited for Gretchen to run to home, too, before heading back to the dugout.

The first time our team took the field, Carl got to play catcher!  It was perfect for him!  He got to get lots of balls and he did not have to throw any!  When they headed out for the second time, I heard him ask the coach, "Can I get the mask?"  but another little boy got to be catcher.  I will have to bring my camera to every game now just in case Gretchen (or Carl again) gets to be catcher, too.

Gretchen did a great job out in the field.  One ball came right to her.  She grabbed it without letting it get past her and threw it back to home plate... to her brother, the catcher.

No outs counted, no scores kept.  But, the teams did high-five each other after the game as a show of good sportsmanship.  One parent told Lew last year 2 dads at a t-ball game got into a fight and the cops had to be called.  Wow.

They had practice last night and a game tomorrow.  They are looking forward to another game!